


a moment of comfort

by yeehaw_heehaw



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-28 19:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20971910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeehaw_heehaw/pseuds/yeehaw_heehaw
Summary: gwaine needed to be cared for after the season four finale :(





	a moment of comfort

When he awoke, a hand was gently running through Gwaine’s hair. The slow, repeated movement would’ve lulled him back into another restless sleep if not for a tangle in his hair getting caught and pulled. Gwaine winced and the hand pulled away.

“Sorry, sorry.”

Gwaine reached his hand out with his eyes closed, patting the mattress until he found Merlin’s hand. “Missed you,” he said groggily, his face half smushed into his pillow.

“Missed you too,” Merlin whispered in reply.

Merlin took his hand away. Gwaine huffed out a breath and opened his eyes halfway to look at Merlin. “Don’t go yet, please.”

“I’m not,” Merlin said, “I promise.”

Gwaine watched as Merlin moved from reclining against the headboard to lying on his side.

“Arthur gave me the day off. You, too.”

“Why would he do that?” Gwaine mumbled.

“You’ve been fighting nonstop for the last several days with no food. He’s a prat, but he’s not cruel.”

Gwaine hummed in response.

“Gaius told me about what happened,” Merlin said. “I should’ve been there.”

“No,” Gwaine replied. “No, I’m glad you escaped. I don’t want you near Morgana.”

Merlin sighed. He reached his hand out to stroke the side of Gwaine’s face, and Gwaine’s eyes closed again.

“How’s Gaius? Elyan?”

“They’re well,” Merlin said. “Gwen is with Gaius right now, and Elyan is up and about, though we’ve told him to rest.”

“Gwen?” Gwaine said with a smile, albeit a tired one. He wanted to open his eyes to look at Merlin again, but he didn’t think he had the energy to do so.

“Yeah.”

“Glad.”

Merlin huffed out a laugh at the quiet, one-word response. Merlin gently tugged Gwaine over until his head was tucked under Merlin’s chin.

“Go to sleep,” Merlin told Gwaine. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Merlin’s hand returned to his hair to run through it again, more carefully to avoid the tangles, and this time his actions did lull Gwaine to sleep.

This time, he slept peacefully.


End file.
